Diving apparatus.



W. DEUTER.

DIVING APPARATUS.

APPLlCATION FILED MAR. 22, 1916.

I Patented Sept. 5,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wuemtoz W. p e u i'er',

wi tmwo o rn: "cums Pnurs co" mayo-Lima, vwunorun. n. c.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- awuem ioz m: mum's rsrsns m4. rum-sumo wunmamn. u. c.

WILHELM nnurrnn, on items, MINNESOTA.

DIVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed March 22, 1916. Serial No. 85,899.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILI-IELM DEUTER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Wells, in the county of Faribault and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Diving Apparatus; and s I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a diving apparatus for use by deep sea divers, and the primary object of the invention isto provide a deep sea diving apparatus, which will permit the diver to supply himself with air, when necessaryand which also includes means for materially assisting his rising through the water.

A further object of this invention is to provide a diving helmet, which has a casing associated therewith; to mount a pump within said casing, and to connect the pump to the helmet, and the helmet with a float which floats upon the surface of the Water, and is provided with air inlet valves to permit of the suction of air downwardly through the float, a series of hose, and the helmet, by the action of the pump; and also to mount an inflatable body within the casing, and to operatively connect this inflatable body with the pump, so that the inflatable body may be pumped full of air for rendering it buoyant, for assisting the diver in rising through the water.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the diving helmet, casing andthe float, Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the helmet showing the casing in end elevation. and showing the same applied to a diver, Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the casing exposing the inflatable member and the pump, Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the float,and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the pump.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a divers helmet, which helmet is constructed in the usual manner, and provided with the usual sight opening 2 and side openings 8. The helmet body 1 has a flexible hose 4 communicating there with, which hose communicates with the interior of the helmet, and with the interior of the compartment 5 of the float 6. The float 6 is illustrated in the drawings as constructed in the shape of a hollow sphere, which will float upon the surface of the water, and it has a pendently hung weight 7 detachablv connected thereto as is shown at 8, for holding the float in a substantially upright position. The float 6 is divided into two compartments, namely the compartment 5 and a second compartment 8. A

pipe 9 extends upwardl into the compartment 5 and has a nipple 10 formed upon its outer lower end to which nipple the flexible hose 4 is connected. A pipe 11 extends vertically out of the top of the float 6 and has a cup 12 mounted upon its upper end, which is constructed so as to permit the passage of air upwardly into the cup and downwardly through the pipe 11 into the compartment 5, as indicated by the arrow in Fin. 4 of the drawings. cock valve 13 is carried by the float 6 and communicates with the compartment 5 for permitting of the exhaust of air from the compartment when desired.

The flexible conduit 4 communicates with the interior of the helmet 1 as previously stated, so that air passing downwardly through the pipes 11 and 9 of the conduit 4 will enter the interior of the helmet 1, for supplying fresh air to the diver. The relatively short conduit of flexible hose 14 also communicates with the interior of the helmet 1 and has its lower end removably mounted upon the nipple end 15 of the pipe 16. The pipe 16 communicates with the interior of a pump casing 17 in which is mounted a reciprocatory piston rod 18, which has a piston head 19 mounted upon its inner end and a handle 20'mounted upon its outer end, which handle projects exteriorly of the casing 21 in which the pump is mounted so that it may be easily gripped by the diver wearing the apparatus.

The pipe 16 has a valve structure 22 p0sitioned therein, which is constructed for permitting of the passage of air out of the pipe into the pump casing but for preventmg air from passing out of the pump casing into the pipe. The piston 19 of the pump is provided with an ordinary flat valve 23, which permits the passage of air therethrough upon the return stroke of the piston. A pipe 24 communicates with the.

outlet end of the pump casing 17 and this pipe has an enlargement 25 formed therein in which is positioned a valve 26. The valve 26 is controlled by the spring 27 so that it will permit the passage of air from the pump casing upwardly through the pipe 24 but will prevent air from returning through the pipe into the pump casing. The pipe 24 extends upwardly from the enlargement 25 and has an inflatable member 28 connected to its lower end. The inflatable member 28 may be an inflatable rubber ball which is connected to the pipe 24 in an air tight manner. The pipe 24 has a branch 29 formed thereon which extends upwardly through the top of the casing 21 and has a valve structure 30 positioned therein. The branch pipe 29 is provided for permitting of the exhaust of the air from the ball 28 or permitting the air to pass out of the pipe 24 without entering the ball 28 as desired.

The casing 21 is provided with an opening 31 formed in the upper side which openlng is closed by a screen 32. A door 33 is hmgedly connected as shown at 34 to one side of the casing 21 and this door has a panel which is formed of mesh work or screen. The door 33 is provided for permitting access to the interior of the casing. The outlet of air from the helmet 1 is permitted by a tube 36 which has a mouth piece 37 formed thereon into which the exhaust or used air is blown by the diver. The pipe 36 extends out of the rear of the helmet 1 and has a flexible hose or conduit 38 connected thereto. The upper end of the hose 38 is connected to a nipple 39 formed upon a pipe 40. The pipe 40 projects upwardly into the compartment 8 of the float 6 and the exhaust air passes out of the pipe into the compartment 8 and out of the compartment 8 through a pipe 41, which pipe has an inverted cup 42 mounted upon its upper end which is identical in construction to the cup 12. p

A cock valve structure 43 is carried by the float and communicates with the interior of the compartment 8. The compartments 5 and 8 are formed by a partition 44 which extends through the interior of the float 6. The casing 21 may have straps or any desired structure as indicated at 45 for attaching it to the divers suit.

When the diver desires to increase his supply of air in the helmet 1, he operates the pump structure 17 which will suck air downwardly through the pipe 11, the compartment 5 of the float, the pipe 9, downwardly through the conduit 4 and into the interior of the helmet 1. This air will also be sucked through the helmet and the tube 14 into and through the pump casing 17. When the diver desires to remain below the water, he can open the valve 30 which will permit the air passing through the casing to exhaust out of the branch pipe 29 which will prevent the inflation of the ball 28.

When the diver desires to rise to the surface of the water, he closes the valve 30, which prevents the escape of air through the branch pipe 29, and by operating the pump structure 17, he will inflate the inflatable member 28. The inflation of the member 28, will force the water out of the casing 21 through the opening 31 and the panel in the door 33, which permits the displacing of water by the air which is contained within the ball 28, thereby providing a buoyant member which is attached to the back of the diver which will materially assist his rising through the water.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved diving apparatus will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, and while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangel ment of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterations are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is 7 1. In a diving apparatus, the combination, of a divers helmet, a float, said float being divided into compartments, an air inlet pipe communicating with one of said compartments, an air outlet pipe communicating with the other of said compartments, conduits communlcatlng with the interior of sa1d helmet and w1th sa1d compartments, a casing, a pump carried by said caslng, a conduit communicating withw said pump and the interior of said divers helmet, for creating a suction of air through the inlet conduit and compartment of said float, a pipe communicating with the outlet end of said pump, an inflatable member connected to said pipe, a valve positioned within said pipe for preventing the passage of air from said inflatable member into said pump, a branch pipe formed upon said pipe and having a valve therein for permitting.

of the escape of air from the pipe in lieu of its entrance into the inflatable member, and said casing being provided with openings to permit of the outlet of water out of the casing upon the inflation of said in-- flatable member.

2. In a divin apparatus, the combination with a divers lielmet, of a casing adapted to be carried upon the back of the wearer of the helmet, a pump positioned within said casing, an inlet pipe communicating with said pump, a flexible member communicating with the interior of said divers helmet and said pump inlet pipe, a check valve positioned within said inlet pipe to permit of the passage of air from the helmet into the pump and for preventing air passage from the pump into the helmet, a float, a flexible member communicating with said float and the interior of said helmet.

3. In a diving apparatus, the combination with a divers helmet, of a casing adapted to be carried upon the back of the wearer of the helmet, a pump positioned within said casing, an inlet pipe communicating with said'pump, a flexible member communicating with the interior of said divers helmet and said pump inlet pipe, a check valve positioned within said inlet pipe to permit of the passage of air from the helmet into the pump and for preventing air passage from the pump into the helmet, a float, a flexible member communicating with said float and the interior of said helmet, an inflatable member positioned within said casing, a pipe communicating with the outlet of .said pump and said inflatable member, said casing being provided with openings formed therein for permitting said inflatable member to force Water out of the casing upon inflation of the member, and foraminous material extending over said casing openings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VVILHELM DEUTER.

'VVitnesses GEO. L. SoHMrrz, E. E. RoEsLnR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. G. 

